That observation which is called knowledge of the world will be found much more frequently to make men cunning than good.

Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise.

So many objections may be made to everything, that nothing can overcome them but the necessity of doing something.

Man's chief merit consists in resisting the impulses of his nature.

We ought not to raise expectations which it is not in our power to satisfy.-It is more pleasing to see smoke brightening into flame, than flame sinking into smoke.

No man tells his opinion so freely as when he imagines it received with implicit veneration.

Politeness is one of those advantages which we never estimate rightly but by the inconvenience of its loss.